Letter-box



(No Model.)

E. B. ANDERSON.

LETTER BOX.

Patented Dec. 8,'1891.

iP/30m PM;

UNrrnD STATES ATENT OFFICE..

IIERY B. ANDERSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LETTER-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,842, dated December 8, 1891.

Application filed Inhal, 1891. Serial No. 394,765. (No modell To all whom zit may concern:

Beit known that l, HENRY BIANDERSON, of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lettenloxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in letter-boxes;7 and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and designated in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my complete invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line fr :r of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section of a modification constructed for street use.

The object of my invention is to construct a box for holding letters and papers, the same especially designed for indoor use, and the same so constructed to close automatically with an alarm.

I will further describe the various objects and advantages of my invention in connection with the description of the mechanical parts embodied in the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the outer shell or casing, which may embody any simple and symmetrical construction for the purpose as designed, the same being provided in its back with suitable perforations, (which are not illustrated,) through which screws or bolts may beinserted for securing shell or casing to any desired support, and also provided on its side face, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with slits 2, in which a card 3 may be placed. Card 3 may have the name of the owner or any other inscription written upon it.

4 indicates an inner shell or receptacle for the letters, cards, dro., which is hinged or otherwise pivotally secured within the outer shell or casing 1, preferably, however, by the bolt 5, which passes through the lower portion of the outer shell creasing 1 and also the receptacle 4t. The lower end of said inner receptacle is provided with an upturned portion or lip 6, of the construction as shown in Fig. 2, and the upper end of the saine is provided with a similar upturned portion or lip 7, the function of said lip to be more fully hereinafter described. The front face of the receptacle 4 is provided with an elongated opening 8 for the insertion of the letters, postal cards, duc. Said opening S is covered on the inside with ahinged lid 9 to protect the inclosed mail from rain, the. The front face of said receptacle is also provided with an opening 10, as shown in Fig. l, for inspecting the interior of the box of the receptacle without opening the same. The front face of the receptacle also extends and terminates in projections 11, the same being provided with a perforation 12, through which a bar 13 may pass. Bar 13 is firmly secured to the outer shell or casing l, and is provided with a perforation il, in which a padlock may be inserted for locking the receptacle Wit-hin the outer shell or casing 1. Any construction of lock may be employed for this purpose.

15 indicates a bell, which is secured in any suitable and mechanical manner to the outer shell or casing 1, the same being provided with an annular clapper 16, which swings a little below the upper surface of lip 7, and is adapted to be struck and actuated by said lip whenever the receptacle 4 is opened and closed.

17 indicates U-shap'ed bars, which are secured to the sides of the inner receptacle 4:, the object of which is to hold the papers, pamphlets, ttc. Said U-shaped bars extend a little beyond or about even with the front edges of the outer shell or casing 1.

18 indicates a spring, which is mounted on rod 5, and one end of the same rests upon theV inner surface of the bottom of the lower'end of shell or casing 1, and the other end of the same passes up in the U-shaped bars 17 and rests against the front surface of the front face of receptacle Il. The function of said springs is to close receptacle 4 automatically after the same has been opened. In other words, the receptacle 4E can never be left open through any carelessness or neglect of the `mail-carrier.

The construction of box as l have just described is especially designed, as before stated, for indoor use. It may be observed in this connection that the front portion of the outer shell orbox 1 may be covered by any suitable means so as to protect the papers that are located in and supported by the U-shaped bars 17 from' rain, tbc. It may also be further observed that the U-shaped bars have two functions, viz: They answer as a support for the papers and also a hand-hold by which the receptacle 4 may be opened.

In Fig. 3 I show a modification of myinvention especially designed for outdoor use. In this construction I use no alarm-bells, and also dispense with the upper end of receptacle 4.

I do not wish to limit myself to any particular way of attaching the box to a door, as the same may be provided with an opening in the back of the outer shell or casing l, whereby the box may be secured to the door, the opening in the said box corresponding to the opening in the door. By this means letters may be insertedand removed from either the inside of the house or outside. Further, l may use or dispense with the alarm in either of the two constructions shown in the drawings.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1.'A letter-box consisting of an outer shell or casing 1, an alarm secured to the saine, a receptacle for letters, carrying a support for papers, pivotally secured within said shell or casing and adapted to sound the alarm when the same is opened or closed, and means for automatically closing the saine, substantially as set forth.

2. A letter-box consisting of an outer shell or casing l, a receptacle 4 of the character described, carrying U-shaped bars for supporting papers pivotally secured within said shell or casing l, and means for automatically clos ing said receptacle within said shell or casing l, substantially as set forth.

3. A letter-box consisting of an outer shell or casing l, the lower and upper ends of which are provided with lips or upturned portions 6 and 7, respectively, and the front face of said receptacle provided with an opening 8 for the insertion of the letters, the same being covered with a lid 9, and with an opening 10 for inspecting the interior of the receptacle when the same is closed, and an alarm of'l the character described adapted to be sounded whenever the receptacle is opened or closed, U-shaped bars 17, carried by said receptacle, for holding papers, catalogues, &c.,

' a spring forautomatically closing said recep- Ktacle, and means for securely locking the same when closed, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY B. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

ED E. LONGAN, C F. KELLER. 

